At Samevloeing waterhole: a Wood Sandpiper that just didn't want to be photographed for posterity!. Lots of Canariesalso Red-headed Finches and Cape Sparrows.

At 4.10pm (37°) we stopped at TR camp for a comfort break and fuel. We were back on the road north at 4.35pm.

A White-quilled Korhaan.

A poor life this, if full of care,We have no time to stand and stare.(W.H.Davies)---------------------------------------April 201713th-17th Punda Maria.18th-20th Shingwedzi.21st-24th Shimuwini.25th-29th Letaba.

A poor life this, if full of care,We have no time to stand and stare.(W.H.Davies)---------------------------------------April 201713th-17th Punda Maria.18th-20th Shingwedzi.21st-24th Shimuwini.25th-29th Letaba.

A poor life this, if full of care,We have no time to stand and stare.(W.H.Davies)---------------------------------------April 201713th-17th Punda Maria.18th-20th Shingwedzi.21st-24th Shimuwini.25th-29th Letaba.

Also at Houmoed waterhole a Black-headed Heron showed us how he keeps his feathers looking so good.

A poor life this, if full of care,We have no time to stand and stare.(W.H.Davies)---------------------------------------April 201713th-17th Punda Maria.18th-20th Shingwedzi.21st-24th Shimuwini.25th-29th Letaba.

A poor life this, if full of care,We have no time to stand and stare.(W.H.Davies)---------------------------------------April 201713th-17th Punda Maria.18th-20th Shingwedzi.21st-24th Shimuwini.25th-29th Letaba.

We were back at camp at 6.15pm (35°). Other guests had also just arrived and said they had seen a.......

A poor life this, if full of care,We have no time to stand and stare.(W.H.Davies)---------------------------------------April 201713th-17th Punda Maria.18th-20th Shingwedzi.21st-24th Shimuwini.25th-29th Letaba.

So we got back to KK where some other guests told us they had seen a Leopard on the way up the Lower dune road so we rushed back out to try and find it. We drove up and down for a while but there are lots of dips amongst those dunes so very difficult. Feeling a bit down we drove back up to KK. Willem came and asked us if we had been lucky but we told him that we hadn't. He replied ‘never mind it will come to the waterhole’!!!

At 7.15pm we were sitting on the balcony with a drink and PF said ‘check if the ‘scope is the right height for you’ as I had complained he always set it too high. I looked through it and I couldn’t believe my eyes the Leopard was approaching the waterhole!! Wow, Willem you were so right!

We watched her have a good drink

and then she moved off back past our room.

The sighting couldn't have been more than 10 or 15 minutes and we felt as though we had held our breath the whole time

So, another cat hat-trick today! Now that is definitely something to drink to. Cheers!

Later on there was a Spotted Eagle Owl on bushes near our room and we thought we saw the Barn Owl too.

Kieliekrankie (and Willem) we love you

A poor life this, if full of care,We have no time to stand and stare.(W.H.Davies)---------------------------------------April 201713th-17th Punda Maria.18th-20th Shingwedzi.21st-24th Shimuwini.25th-29th Letaba.

TUESDAY 5TH NOVEMBER We were out of camp at 5.40am (22°). Willem had said to check Auchterlonie for the Leopard. Lower dune road and a lovely pair of Steenbok.

It was a beautiful sunrise this morning with more cloud around.

Once we reached the main road we turned south. We stopped at Auchterlonie but there was no Leopard this morning.

A poor life this, if full of care,We have no time to stand and stare.(W.H.Davies)---------------------------------------April 201713th-17th Punda Maria.18th-20th Shingwedzi.21st-24th Shimuwini.25th-29th Letaba.

So now we headed North again. A BBJ and a Tawny Eagle were sharing the remains of someone elses dinner.

At Gemsbokplein waterhole an Hadeda Ibis flew past. A bit of a surprise.

A poor life this, if full of care,We have no time to stand and stare.(W.H.Davies)---------------------------------------April 201713th-17th Punda Maria.18th-20th Shingwedzi.21st-24th Shimuwini.25th-29th Letaba.

We were 1 km past Batulama waterhole when we saw a Cheetah on top of the dune to our left

and another one in the riverbed to our right.

The one in the riverbed walked towards us

and passed in front of the car to join the other one on the dune.

That had been a superb sighting!!

A poor life this, if full of care,We have no time to stand and stare.(W.H.Davies)---------------------------------------April 201713th-17th Punda Maria.18th-20th Shingwedzi.21st-24th Shimuwini.25th-29th Letaba.

The view north along the Auob riverbed, nice clouds today but not an animal in sight.

At Montrose waterhole a lovely Pygmy Falcon.

and a Tawny Eagle.

Past Rooibrak waterhole there were lots of Springbok.

At 7.23am PF stopped the car and lifted his bins saying he was sure he'd seen some odd movement on the far side of the riverbed. Wow, what a surprise............

A poor life this, if full of care,We have no time to stand and stare.(W.H.Davies)---------------------------------------April 201713th-17th Punda Maria.18th-20th Shingwedzi.21st-24th Shimuwini.25th-29th Letaba.

So there we were at 7.23am when PF thought he had seen movement on the other side of the riverbed.

He certainly had as it was a large male Leopard with a Springbok.

The 'odd' movement was because he was dragging the springbok between his front legs and under his body.

The prey looked partially eaten so not just killed.

A poor life this, if full of care,We have no time to stand and stare.(W.H.Davies)---------------------------------------April 201713th-17th Punda Maria.18th-20th Shingwedzi.21st-24th Shimuwini.25th-29th Letaba.

We watched as he slowly dragged his prey up the slope of the dune (at least 300 mtrs).

A poor life this, if full of care,We have no time to stand and stare.(W.H.Davies)---------------------------------------April 201713th-17th Punda Maria.18th-20th Shingwedzi.21st-24th Shimuwini.25th-29th Letaba.

He dragged the prey to a big bush where he went inside. He came back out straight away and lay panting.

Then after a while he went back inside the bush for a while so he was presumably eating. He eventually came back out and lay in the shade of the bush cleaning his paws.

We had been the ONLY car whilst he had dragged the prey but we of course flagged down the next few telling them where he was.

We understand this Leopard is Tshidi, known to many forumites and in the Leopard ID book. We did post some pix under the Leopard Sightings page when we got home.

A poor life this, if full of care,We have no time to stand and stare.(W.H.Davies)---------------------------------------April 201713th-17th Punda Maria.18th-20th Shingwedzi.21st-24th Shimuwini.25th-29th Letaba.

At 8.20am we decided to drive on a bit and give new arrivals a chance for the best view.

At Kamqua there were plenty of Springbok.

Someone told us where to look for a Giant Eagle Owl, which we found. Not a great view but still nice.

We turned back south. Tshidi was still there. Katja and Jacliz and Jeff were watching him.

KK road: PCG

We were back in camp at 10.15am (34°) and out again at 10.45am for our mini-meet appointment.

A poor life this, if full of care,We have no time to stand and stare.(W.H.Davies)---------------------------------------April 201713th-17th Punda Maria.18th-20th Shingwedzi.21st-24th Shimuwini.25th-29th Letaba.